CEDI: the first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances lays the foundation for a unified response towards the eradication of this human rights violation

On January 15 and 16, 2025, the first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances was held in Geneva, organised by the the Convention Against Enforced Disappearances Initiative (CEDI) in conjunction with other United Nations bodies, such as the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), and the Office for Human Rights.

The event involved international organisations, government representatives, civil society organisations, as well as victims and families of missing persons from over 120 countries, contributing to establishing a constructive and inclusive exchange on key issues such as enhancing search operations, international accountability for persons subjected to this human rights violation, and the protection of victims, human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers.

The need to pursue a collective approach at the international level was also reiterated by Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her speech, during which she called on all parties to share their knowledge and intensify cooperation and political will to definitively eradicate this crime.

Video recordings of the event are available at the following link: https://www.edworldcongress.org/post/the-video-recordings-the-1st-wced-are-available-t